8
Health Centre and Matrons
The Health Centre team works closely with boarding house
matrons and they receive training in the administration of
Homely Remedies. They may treat minor illnesses and can
seek advice when needed. Matrons also take boys to the
Minor Injuries Unit and hospital when necessary and
play a key role in liaising between home and school on
medical matters.
Consent
The medical form should be completed and returned prior to
your son’s admission. The form requires parents to give
consent for medical staff to administer medicines and first-
aid treatment and give immunisations as recommended by
the Department of Health. An annual Influenza vaccination is
also recommended for boarders.
The form also requires details of your son’s past medical
history and is a record of allergies, immunisations and
medications. It also requests permissions for some homely
remedy medicines to be administered, such as Paracetamol
or Ibuprofen.
If given consent to do so on the medical form, housemasters
act in loco-parentis and will, in the very rare situations when
a parent cannot be contacted, give consent for emergency
treatment, operations etc.
Confidentiality
Most medical matters do not need ‘strict confidentiality’
and it is often best that staff know what is happening. We
encourage boys to discuss their medical care with their
parents, although a patient’s expectation of confidentiality
must be respected. Any child over 16 years old may give
consent for their own treatment. If under 16, but considered
mature enough, they can also give consent. All boys are
entitled to the same level of medical confidentiality as
anyone else.
Medical computer record systems are separate and secure
from the school system to ensure confidentiality.
Local Hospitals
The Minor Injuries Unit is at Abingdon Hospital and the
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (John Radcliffe
Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic
Centre) are within easy access. Most private referrals are
made to the Manor Hospital, Oxford.
Holiday Treatment
If your son requires treatment during the holidays in the UK
you can register him as a
‘Temporary Resident’. If he has any operation, accident,
severe illness or is given vaccinations during the holidays,
please notify the Health Centre, in writing, on return to
school. If your son returns with medication, please inform
the Health Centre.
In the event of him being ill your son will not able to stay in
the Health Centre in the holiday, and you or his guardian
should be prepared to collect him. The same applies at
weekends for weekly boarders.
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Looking after the health of
the boarding community.
